Image sensing devices are utilized for a wide variety of purposes including, for example, data capture and inspection of manufactured articles. The inspection of printed images and the quality of image reproduction where repeated inspection of a printed image is required is well suited to an automated process in which an image sensor or camera is utilized. In the printing industry, prints are run at high speed, and due to the quality of paper, the environment in which an image sensor operates, may become very dusty with foreign particles interfering with the operation of the image sensor. Frequent cleaning of the image sensor is therefore required in order to ensure proper operation of the sensor.
Due to the location of an image sensor within an image inspection system, particularly in a printing press environment, it may be difficult to manually clean the lens or housing containing an image sensor. Systems have been proposed which utilize air pressure for cleaning a lens of an image sensor or the surrounding air within a plenum chamber housing the image sensor; however, such devices require additional equipment with associated maintenance problems. Additionally, large air flows surrounding an image sensor may also interfere with the operation of the image sensor.
A need has thus arisen for a protection device for an image sensor which is automatic in operation, and which does not interfere with the operation of the image sensor.